University application deadlines are quickly approaching, but it can be difficult to narrow down the best choices when acceptance letters start rolling in. Luckily, WalletHub compiled a list a of the best college cities and towns to help, and Atlanta was among them.
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The personal finance site determined its results by comparing more than 400 U.S. cities of varying sizes based on 28 key indicators, including lowest cost of living, highest share of rental units, most students per capita, and most nightlife options per capita.
Those metrics were then filtered into three major categories: wallet friendliness, social environment, and academic and economic opportunities.
Atlanta placed in the top 30 at No. 24, overall, and No. 8 among large cities, thanks to its high social environment score. It was No. 8 on that list. But it ranked lower on the wallet friendliness and academic and economic opportunities rankings, where it came in at No. 266 and No. 201, respectively.
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Here’s a snapshot of the Atlanta findings:
Nightlife options per capita: 10
Quality of high education: 83
City accessibility: 103
Students per capita: 145
Percentage of rental units: 159
Cost of high education: 175
Atlanta wasn’t the only Georgia city highlighted. While Statesboro was No. 89, overall, it was No. 4 for the highest share of rental units. Albany was No. 384, overall, but it was No. 1 for cost of higher education. And although Macon-Bibb County was No. 246, overall, it was No. 1 for lowest bran drain.
Want to know how other areas fared? Take a look at the map of findings below.
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